Redditch

Redditch's population grew in the 10 years leading up to 2011. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion and housing tenure.

The population passed 84,000

In the decade leading up to the most recent census, the population of Redditch increased by 6.9%, from just over 78,800 to 84,200.

The addition of just over 5,400 people means this area's population increased at a slower rate than the total population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Redditch was home to, on average, 11 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Redditch

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Redditch increased by two years, from 36 to 38 years.

This urban area had a slightly lower average age than the West Midlands and remained slightly younger than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The fall in age was because of an increase of about 3,800 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 10 and 19 years decreased by just over 700.

About 11% of people in Redditch are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Redditch by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Redditch residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.0% to 5.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (82%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 70% in 2001. The percentage of Redditch residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad increased faster here than in any other local authority district across the West Midlands. The improvement brought health in Redditch close to the national average 5.5% in England described their health as good in 2011).

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Redditch decreased by 2.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Redditch, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Redditch

The percentage of Redditch residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.1% to 4.0% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 6.9%, while the percentage of Redditch residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90% to 89%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.5% in 2001 to 4.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Redditch

The number of people in Redditch that described themselves as having no religion increased from just over 11,000 in 2001 to just under 22,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 14% to 26% of the local population.

The percentage increased by more than the average across the West Midlands (from 12% to 22%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Redditch that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 59,000 in 2001 to about 53,000 in 2011 (from 75% to 63%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation decreased from just over 5,700 to about 5,300 (from 7.3% to 6.3%).

About 2,900 people (2.4%) said they were Muslim, up from about 1,900 in 2001 (3.4%).

The population without a religion in Redditch increased by 11 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Redditch by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of privately rented homes increased in Redditch at a faster rate than in Bromsgrove (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Redditch).

In Redditch, the proportion of private renting increased from 4.3% in 2001 to 12% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby Bromsgrove increased from 4.3% to 8.8%.

Across the West Midlands, the share of privately rented homes increased from 7.3% to 14%.

The rate of social housing in Redditch fell from 23% to 21%, while the rate of home ownership decreased from 71% to 66%.

Private renting in Redditch increased by 7.4 percentage points

Percentage of households in Redditch, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Redditch

The number of people in Redditch from the White ethnic groups increased from about 75,000 in 2001 to about 77,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 95% to 92%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across the West Midlands (from 89% to 83%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Redditch from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from just under 2,300 in 2001 to just over 4,000 in 2011 (from 2.9% to 4.8%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 1,000 to about 1,700 (from 1.3% to 2.0%).

Just over 860 people (0.9%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from just under 670 in 2001 (1.0%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Redditch decreased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Redditch by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households without children increased in Redditch at a faster rate than across England.

In Redditch, the proportion of households without children increased from 56% in 2001 to 58% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion across England increased from 61% to 61%.

Across the West Midlands, the share of households without children increased from 59% to 59%.

The proportion of households with children in Redditch fell from 33% to 31%, while the proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 11% to 10%.

The proportion of households without children was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Redditch, which comprised a single parent, increased from 9.4% to 11% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 4 in 10 (37%) households had a married couple, compared with 42% in 2001. The percentage of households in Redditch, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 10% to 11%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

The percentage of adults in Redditch that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 12% to 13% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under one in two (49%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 54% in 2001. The percentage of single people in Redditch increased from 28% to 32%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 11% to 12%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Redditch working less than 16 hours increased from 1.4% to 2.6% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 12 (8.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 12% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Redditch increased by 1.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Redditch, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Redditch residents that were unemployed increased from 3.6% to 4.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just under 6 in 10 (58%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 61% in 2001. The percentage of Redditch residents that were self-employed increased from 7.0% to 8.1%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.8% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.4% to 4.4%.

The rate of unemployment in Redditch increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Redditch, the West Midlands and England that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Redditch residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.0% to 2.6% between the last two censuses.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.1%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 2.3% in 2001 to 2.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Redditch remained close to 2.6%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Redditch by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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